One of the biggest mistakes made when preparing a turkey for a holiday meal is not allowing enough time for a frozen turkey to defrost. With some turkeys approaching 20 pounds or more, they can take days to fully thaw at refrigerator temperatures.
In general, a frozen turkey will require approximately 24 hours for every 5 pounds at or below 40° F to to fully thaw. In cold water, a turkey will require approximately 30 minutes per pound to fully thaw. When thawing a turkey in cold water, make sure to replace the water with fresh, cold water every 30 minutes to avoid temperatures conducive to bacterial growth.
Below you'll find a handy chart with the approximate time needed to thaw whole turkeys either in the refrigerator (at or below 40° F) or in cold water.
| Turkey Weight | Aprroximate Thawing Time Refrigerator | Aprroximate Thawing Time Cold Water |
| 4 - 12 lbs. | 1 - 3 days | 2 - 6 hours |
| 12 - 16 lbs. | 3 - 4 days | 6 - 8 hours |
| 16 - 20 lbs. | 4 - 5 days | 8 - 10 hours |
| 20 - 24 lbs. | 5 - 6 days | 10 - 12 hours |
